Speedway upsets residents

PHYL Hamilton has to shut every window in her home or leave town when the speedway fires up at the Rockhampton Showgrounds.

"I'm an asthmatic.

"There's something in the petrol and the dust. It makes me quite sick.''

The Savage Street resident, who has lived in Wandal for the past 60 years, said she was there before speedway and couldn't have agreed more with an anonymous letter she received at the weekend.

Phyl was just one of many Wandal residents to receive the letter urging locals to band together and rally the council for massive rates discounts because of the speedway.

The letter writer has divided the area into three zones and suggests people living closest to the Showgrounds should get a 50% rates drop and a $15 water rebate for washing homes and cars after each event.

"It (speedway) takes the value off your home. People don't want to live so close. The rates should come down because we put up with it,'' Phyl said.

Phyl said she would like the speedway moved to Callaghan Park or out of town.

Meanwhile, Phyl's neighbours Paul and Nancy Boyle think the people behind the letter drop were just a "bunch of whingers''.

The pair both love the speedway and have no problems with the noise or dust.

"It's just a muffle.

"What do we need less rates for? No one complains when the Show is on,'' Paul said.